WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 98: Traditional Play (2)

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The picnic basket coming out of the car trunk made me wonder what we were even doing. Had we really come here for fun? But I noticed Noah was quietly excited, so I kept my mouth shut. Well, it wasn't as though we were required to bring only convenience food into a dungeon. We were only planning to stay around two days, so we'd packed some things separately anyway.

Holding the picnic basket, Seong Hyeonje took out and put on a white coat. It was unrealistically pristine white, neither fabric nor leather. Since it was equipment he used, it was probably at least S-Class.

Meanwhile, Noah's V-neck shirt, pants, and short robe-like cardigan, none of which were in our world's style, were all B-Class. It wasn't that Noah had no S-Class equipment. He even had a sleek racing suit with excellent options, but the problem was full beast transformation.

I'd racked my memory and managed to recall how to specially treat equipment for full beast transformation, but I lacked the materials. More specifically, I lacked the materials needed to specially treat A-Class or higher equipment. I'd already put out requests for them, so I'd be able to get them soon enough, but comparing Noah to Seong Hyeonje made me feel bad for no reason.

As for me, naturally, I was wearing ordinary clothes. I'd brought mana and mental strength equipment, but clothing options were generally for defense. With F-Class stats, whether I wore them or not would make little difference in an A-Class dungeon. I'd still die in one hit. It was like holding up a newspaper to block rain in a storm. Equipment with high-grade skills other than resistance skills would be useful, but that was rare. Besides, if we got high-grade equipment with skills, we should give it to the people clearing dungeons first. It'd be a waste for me to use it.

‘I want to get Yerim a full S-Class set.’

Mr. Seonghan needed an equipment upgrade too. Begging Myeongu was probably the fastest way, though first he had to finish whatever he was currently making.

“This is a good chance to practice fighting while in full beast transformation.”

The lower A-Class monsters would be suitable for practice.

“But I'd feel uneasy leaving Yujin alone...”

Noah trailed off and glanced at Seong Hyeonje. At the wary look in his eyes, Seong Hyeonje tilted up the corner of his mouth.

“You think you can protect him just by staying beside him. You're certainly confident.”

Noah's eyes turned fierce at the blatant jab. Noah was an S-Class too, but... Annoyingly, Seong Hyeonje was stronger than Yoohyun. Until he disappeared, he'd been firmly ranked first.

“It’s all right, Noah. Even if he talks like that, he won't harm me.”

“You think you can trust the Sesung Guildmaster?”

“It’s not that I trust him. I just don't think he'd do something that harms his own interests.”

He wasn't the kind of man to lay such a simple trap. Noah hesitated, then nodded. I took the opportunity to use My Kid, and the growth rate was applied at +200%, doubling the rate of growth. Even the cooldown had been cut in half to fifteen days. ...Couldn't Yoohyun get a cursed poison dragon species beast transformation skill somehow? It was really good.

Anyway, Seong Hyeonje really was something else.

“Is it fun for an adult to mock a child so much younger than you?”

“Isn't it adult of me to leave all his limbs intact? I'm honored that Han Yujin thinks I'm a good adult.”

Seong Hyeonje's words made me realize my mistake. He might treat me lightly and playfully, but he wasn't really that kind of person. He had little reason to be generous toward Noah, who had practically stabbed him in the back and run away. Especially when Noah had bared his teeth at him just now.

“I'd ask that you at least pretend to be a good adult in this dungeon.”

“Whose request could I refuse? I'll try.”

Don't smile like you're being kind. I might grow attached. Just in case, I should avoid leaving Noah and Seong Hyeonje alone together as much as possible.

As we were about to enter the dungeon building, someone approached us. He was a man in his early thirties with a cold-looking face. No, rather than his appearance, the way he looked at me was cold.

‘It's been a while since I got a look like that.’

Everyone had been so friendly lately. Noah's feelings had been directed at Riette, not me. Feeling oddly nostalgic, I smiled back at Yoon Gyeongsu, the Sudam Guildmaster.

“I'd wanted to meet you, so I'm glad we ran into each other like this.”

At my greeting, Yoon Gyeongsu smiled with only his mouth.

“I should have come to see you first. I apologize for greeting you so late.”

Then why hadn't he contacted me even once? The conversation that followed was ordinarily formal. Since this was a dungeon managed by Sudam, we spoke a little about that, exchanged pleasantries, and wished each other a safe clear.

In other words, it wasn't something a guildmaster needed to come here to say. Maybe he was so free that he wanted to take a walk.

Noah was going to enter the dungeon first and clear out the area. Once Seong Hyeonje and I were alone, I immediately asked what I'd been wondering.

“It seems the Sudam Guildmaster holds quite a grudge against Haeyeon Guild?”

The only reason I could think of for him to be hostile toward me was Yoohyun. As for me now, I was quietly raising monsters under the protection of major guilds. I'd never even contacted Sudam. There was little reason for an S-Class Hunter to bear ill will toward an F-Class stat holder with a useful skill.

So it made more sense that he resented not me, but my protector.

“Yoon Gyeongsu was the one who underestimated the young master first. Then he got bitten hard.”

“Then he brought it on himself. He's more narrow-minded than he looks.”

“The young master is so young, so it must have hurt his pride even more. Yoon Gyeongsu tried to approach him in an attempt to establish himself independently, only to be used as a stepping stone and cast aside. It’s enough to make him grind his teeth. He probably thinks Han Yoohyun stole his place. All he can do is grind his teeth, though.”

Unlike Breaker Guild or MKC, he'd tried to build his own guild by using Yoohyun because Yoohyun looked young and easy to handle, only for the reverse to happen.

“I'm surprised Yoohyun let us come here without saying anything.”

“He said nothing only to Han Yujin. He already caused quite a scene. During the kidnapping incident, he'd clamped down on Sudam ruthlessly, just in case.”

“Is that so? They're both S-Class Hunters, so I would think there'd be strong resistance... Could Sudam possibly become a threat to Haeyeon Guild?”

There had been no major problem before the regression. But now that I was here, Yoohyun's attitude would have changed considerably. The kidnapping and this dungeon trip hadn't happened originally.

So there was a real possibility that Yoon Gyeongsu, driven by harsher suppression than before, might become determined to attack Haeyeon Guild, to attack Yoohyun. What had Yoon Gyeongsu's main skill been again? And why wasn't Seong Hyeonje answering?

When the silence stretched on, I turned toward him and met a gaze that seemed to be studying me closely.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because it's interesting.”

So many things interested him. His life must be enjoyable.

“A dog that has surrendered and exposed its belly doesn't easily bare its teeth again. Unless something backs it up and gives it a certain chance of winning, he'll stay obedient. The young master knows that well, which is why he's keeping Yoon Gyeongsu alive.”

“Is that why we came to a dungeon under Sudam? To see whether he's joined hands with something that could back him up?”

Talk of bait, and now we were entering a dungeon managed by another guild. There were even few of us. If someone was targeting us, it was practically like waving a traffic baton and saying, Please don't miss this chance to attack. Of course, saying there were few of us was questionable when there were two S-Class Hunters, but that only meant the opponent had comparable strength.

Could this be dangerous too? Still, I'd given Noah the bead, and Seong Hyeonje would take care of himself. He wasn't someone who acted without thinking.

“Maybe, maybe not. If nothing happens today, we should visit MKC next. Then check Hanshin and Breaker Guild as well. As far as I know, Haeyeon Guild is definitely not involved.”

...Please let it end with Sudam.

* * *

About ten minutes later, we entered the gate. This time, no greeting message window appeared. Since they'd made me a personal dungeon, were they planning not to interfere under normal circumstances now?

A vast grassland stretched beneath a blue sky. The golden dragon crossing the brilliantly blue heavens abruptly turned in midair and landed before me. Its landing was clearly more practiced than before. The faint poisonous aura that had swirled around its golden body slowly faded away.

- I've dealt with all the nearby monsters.

“You worked hard.”

Pale gray eyes narrowed in a smile. Because Noah was in dragon form, I kept feeling like I should praise him and pat his head. Maybe scratch his neck too. Comet had liked having the space between its horns rubbed. Would Noah like that too?

“There’s no need to clear every monster on the first floor. We'll head toward the lake first. It isn't far from the gate.”

Seong Hyeonje spoke, then naturally walked toward Noah.

“I think carrying two people would be difficult for Noah. Since it isn't far, why don't we walk slowly?”

“You underestimate dragon species too much. He can easily lift and fly with monsters three or four times his size. Don't worry.”

I simply didn't want him making Noah carry him, and he knew it. Noah, I'm sorry. Please endure it just this once.

* * *

The gate, still active, glowed blue. About twenty minutes remained before it closed. In the quiet space, where only the faint crackling of gate energy echoed, people began entering one by one.

They were Hunters centered around MKC Guildmaster Choi Seokwon and Sudam Guildmaster Yoon Gyeongsu. Excluding healers and support types, there were fifteen A-Class or higher Hunters. With two more S-Class Hunters, they had enough power to clear any existing dungeon with ease.

Despite that, deep tension hung over their faces. Even Choi Seokwon, an S-Class Hunter, couldn't completely hide their unease.

“To think I'd face Seong Hyeonje again like this.”

When dungeon breaks were frequent, battles between Hunters in Break zones hadn't been uncommon. S-Class Hunters rarely fought each other because there were so few of them, but it did happen. Choi Seokwon had fought Seong Hyeonje before as well.

The fight hadn't lasted long, and Choi Seokwon had been decisively defeated. After feeling a gap they couldn't overcome, they never challenged Seong Hyeonje again.

“Seong Hyeonje, Han Yoohyun, and even Moon Hyuna. Those three bastards are definitely crazy.”

Choi Seokwon muttered as if talking to themselves. The latter two in particular were famous for actively looking for people to pick fights with. Seong Hyeonje at least rarely left his territory, but there was no telling when Han Yoohyun or Moon Hyuna might cross someone's path at the worst possible time. Of course, they clashed fiercely with each other too.

Perhaps because A-Class and below bored them, they didn't touch them, but to other S-Class Hunters, they were disasters beyond disasters. There had even been nonsense talk that the shared Hyeon character in their names was the problem.

“Are you scared already? How pathetic.”

At Yoon Gyeongsu's taunt, Choi Seokwon smirked without backing down.

“It’s still better than being unable to do anything but watch a brat ten years younger than you and read his mood.”

“Shut up.”

“You're so scared that even when an F-Class stat holder walks around defenseless right in front of you, all you can do is suck your thumb. That's why Han Yoohyun leaves Sudam alone.”

The sound of teeth grinding rang out. His face twisted viciously, but Yoon Gyeongsu didn't respond further and stared at the gate. As Choi Seokwon said, he'd been completely crushed by Han Yoohyun. A child who had luckily awakened as an S-Class. Once that brief assessment became fear, he couldn't even dream of resisting and could only swallow his resentment.

“If we cut off that bastard's cherished blood relative one finger at a time and send the pieces to him, his expression will be worth seeing. I'm already looking forward to it.”

“I told you not to kill him.”

“As long as he's alive, that's enough, isn't it? Seeing him in person, he looked even more like Han Yoohyun than I expected. Which makes it all the more...”

Yoon Gyeongsu couldn't finish his sentence as he crossed both arms before his face.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

A sharp kick slammed into his instinctive guard. Despite blocking it in perfect form, Yoon Gyeongsu felt intense pain and was pushed backward. Golden eyes looked at him with a contemptuous sneer.

“You pathetic weaklings.”

Lowering her raised leg, Riette clicked her tongue.

“If you're scared of someone stronger than you, you should tuck your tail and stay buried in a corner. Instead, you're thinking of taking out your anger on someone else? How can you be so pathetic? And you strutted around calling yourself an S-Class combat Hunter? Why don't you cut that thing off, huh?”

“...Damn it.”

Yoon Gyeongsu glared fiercely at Riette while grinding his teeth, but that was all. She was an opponent whose approach he hadn't even properly sensed. He'd clearly felt the difference in their strength after just one exchange. He wouldn't have easily attacked her under normal circumstances, but now was even less the time to fight.

At the sight of him, Riette lowered the corner of her mouth as though bored.

“Honestly, this is no fun. How did I end up joining such boring people?”

She roughly scratched the back of her head, then let out a deep sigh.

“Thanks for sending the private jet, MKC.”

“You're welcome. I'm counting on you.”

Unlike Yoon Gyeongsu, Choi Seokwon looked at Riette with a much more relieved expression. Only now did it seem manageable.

Riette abruptly turned and walked toward the gate.

“All right, let's go finish this quickly. We shouldn't keep our darling waiting too long.”

She entered the dungeon first, and the others disappeared beyond the gate one after another. Silence settled over the room again, and the gate deactivated earlier than scheduled.

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